Man crushed underneath car ‘a tragic accident’

A MAN working under a car which was scheduled for an NCT was crushed to death when it fell on him.

Gardaí have described as “a tragic accident” the incident which claimed the life of Ger Horgan, 45, a married father-of-two from Monfield, near Rochestown, Co Cork.

The car had been jacked up and Mr Horgan was working underneath it in a yard area of his farm on Tuesday night because it is understood the car was due to undergo an NCT soon.

But it collapsed on top of him trapping him underneath. It was not clear last night at exactly what time the accident occurred, or for how long he may have been trapped. The alarm was raised at about 6pm when a neighbour called to the farmyard and found a seriously injured Mr Horgan trapped underneath the vehicle. Gardaí, the fire brigade and ambulance crews were called, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The body was removed to Cork University Hospital and a postmortem was conducted yesterday.

Gardaí preserved the scene and removed the car for an examination.

The Health and Safety Authority are also conducting a separate examination as a matter of routine. Gardaí will prepare a file for the coroner’s court, which is expected to hold an inquest into the circumstances surrounding his death in the coming months. Mr Horgan is survived by his wife Colette, daughters Caoimhe and Sarah, and his mother Eileen. His father Cyril is deceased. The remains will lie in repose today at the family home in Monfield from 5pm to 7pm. Requiem mass will take place at 2pm tomorrow at St Columba’s Church, Douglas, with burial afterwards in St John’s cemetery in Ballinrea.